John R. "Jack" Jurden

John R. "Jack" Jurden

AGE: 88 • Wilmington

Jack Jurden, "the world's greatest cartoonist," passed away peacefully on March 17, 2015 surrounded by loving family and friends. Jack was lovable, humble and generous. He had an excellent sense of humor, sharp wit and tremendous artistic talent. For 39 years, Jack was the editorial cartoonist for The News Journal and no one was safe from his musings. His drawings grace the walls of Presidents, Senators, Representatives, Governors and many of Delaware's elected officials. Every Delawarean yearned for the chance to see if their name would be included in his annual "Naughty or Nice List," regardless of whether they were lovable, naughty, nice or whichever categories Jack fancied that year. And what Jack felt he couldn't say himself, he channeled through his famous frog. The frog became a prominent feature people would look for in all his cartoons.

Jack graduated from Allentown high school in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served our country as a member of the 77th Division in the Pacific during World War II. His service was a continuous source of pride for him throughout his life. He was a Mason and a member of the Granite Corinthian Lodge.

After the War, he returned home to Allentown and worked as a photo engraver at the Call Chronicle. A few years later he met the love of his life, Faye. They married and moved to Wilmington in 1952. Someone recognized his artistic talent and introduced Jack to The News Journal, and soon he became its editorial cartoonist. Over the years, he earned numerous awards and honors and met every president from Kennedy to Carter. Although his love was local politics, for a number of years he was nationally syndicated and served as an officer of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. When it came to editorial cartoons, he spared no one. President Johnson so loved one of his cartoons that he featured it prominently in his Presidential Library. That same cartoon was prominently displayed at an exhibit of editorial cartoons that ran for several months at the United States Archives in Washington, D.C. Senator and now Vice President Joe Biden gave him years of fodder - enough to fill a wall, and then some.

For Jack, drawing wasn't just a livelihood, it defined him. He was never without a pen, and just about any surface would do. And when paper wasn't available, no worries, he drew on napkins, table clothes, plates, walls - when he was in the mood to draw, no surface was safe.

Jack loved his wife and daughters, his friends, his dogs, a good joke, 40's music, anything Scottish, Bing Crosby, football, Chestertown, Madeline's restaurant, chocolate, black licorice, storytelling, his shed (complete with an old-fashioned barber chair and cable TV). Mostly he loved making people laugh. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 58 years, Faye, his parents, Howard and Bertha, his Aunt Jennie Carberry, his sister Nancy Jean, and many dear friends. He is survived by his two daughters, Jenifer and Jan, their families, and so many others who loved and adored him.

His pen may be silent, but his memory will live on thanks to the abundance of his art and the happy memories he gave all of us. The family would like to express their gratitude to his loving and thoughtful caregivers from Carpe Vita and Vitas, particularly Melanie, Sally, Miriam and Sara. A visitation for family and friends will be held Monday, March 23, 2015 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at McCrery & Harra Funeral Home, 3924 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803, (additional, overflow parking is available in the rear parking lot of the Brandywine YMCA, 3 Mount Lebanon Road). Services will be held at a later time and interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, for those who wish to make a donation in Jack's honor, his favorite charity was the Salvation Army because of the comfort and support it provided to him and his Army buddies in WWII (Salvation Army, 400 N. Orange St., Wilm., DE 19801). Messages of condolence may be sent to www.mccreryandharra.com.